No More Making You Cry
by ThinAsADime
Summary: Hermione has had enough with that name. Really, if that's the best he can do, he should just keep his mouth shut.


Hermione Granger pulled her hair back quickly, stopping the movement of her fingers only once to brush the makeup from her tear-stained cheeks. She was certainly not the type to let those things affect her, and she wasn't going to start then. Especially not when '_those things' _were names spewed by that pure-blooded bastard, _Malfoy._

"Really, mudblood is the best he can do?" she grumbled, securing her hair with an elastic. She stood up and took one final look in the mirror, sucking in her sadness. "One smile?" She questioned herself, smiling gently to the reflection in the mirror, "Check," she whispered.

She stepped back out into the Prefects common area and angled her gaze on Malfoy. Her fingers gripped the fabric of her shirt, a nervous habit, and she situated herself right next to him.

Malfoy folded the Daily Prophet in his lap. He acknowledged her with a glance, and nothing more. She picked up her book and opened it to exactly the same page she had been reading before, her eyes scanning the words but not really absorbing them. Suddenly, a rage she had only felt a few times in her life flared up. She threw her book down on the table; an action so unlike Hermione Granger that is had Draco surprised and completely caught off guard.

"Malfoy, you filth, all you have to call me is a _mudblood? _You couldn't think of something better? Would that have been a waste of your precious pureblood time? You really sicken me, you git. I can't believe I ever had to deal with you." With that, miss Granger stormed out of the room and found her feet falling heavy on the stairs.

When the scent of sugar led her to the kitchens, she snapped out of her daze completely unsurprised. "Miss Granger!" Winky called, "Nice to see you! Winky has missed you. Can Winky get you some ice cream?"

"Yes, please Winky," Hermione uttered.

Winky returned moments later with a large bowl of chocolate ice cream covered generously in sprinkles and syrup. A single cherry rested on top of the lovely confection and when Hermione saw this a genuine smile crept up on her mouth quietly.

"Thank you Winky, this is perfect."

She took to eating the ice cream quickly. With each bite her anger towards Malfoy dissipated a little more, and she felt well enough by the time the last bite was gone to go back up to her room and read some more. At the thought of books her heart ached. "I really shouldn't have thrown that book down…" she uttered to herself.

She started back up the stairs, and just as she was about to reach the portrait hole she needed, she ran into him. Literally.

"Ugh, watch where you're walking Malfoy," Hermione said, brushing off her sleeve. She turned on her heel and faced the hallway again.

"You watch yourself, mudblood. You're going to stain my clothes."

She didn't know why, but she had a violent urge to turn around and swing at him, to break his perfect angular face, to smash his nose again. He felt the vibration in the ground and knew it was coming even before she did, and so he had time to wrap his fingers around her wrist. He strode forward, pushing her with him, until her back was against a wall and their bodies were closer than Hermione thought they ever would be. He firmly took her mouth with his own and pinned her other wrist up beside her head.

She struggled every which way, thrashing and kicking, but to no avail. He was stronger than her and he wasn't letting her go. The thought comforted her, strangely.

"MALFOY!" she tried screaming, but instead she just groaned loudly into his mouth.

He pulled back. "Mudblood is the best insult I can come up with," he said as he released his grip and straightened his jacket. "Of course I have better names for you. Beautiful, gorgeous, brilliant, amazing, silly, smart… But I'm sure you'd have nothing to say to me anymore if I called you any of those. I'd rather you hate me and scream at me for an insult than remain with you silent forever."

Hermione stood and examined him. "Malfoy, I hate you."

"As you should," he said, "I'd expect no less, really." He wiped his lip with a finger and then licked it. "Chocolate… hmm, ice cream?"

To his surprise, she pushed him up against the wall behind him and pressed her mouth against his. "I hate you so much!" She said as she released his mouth momentarily, both ferociously enjoying the action more than they'd like to admit.

"I hate you more!" He suddenly thundered, yanking her toward the portrait hole.

"There is no way!" she shouted, kissing him again, hungry for his taste. She couldn't quite pinpoint it… Peppermint, perhaps?

"Oh, Granger let me assure you, there is." His fingers were bunched up in her shirt, roughly yanking at the seams.

She dug her fingernails into his neck and side. "No, there couldn't possibly be."

"Look, I don't care how much you hate each other, you're not really doing a very good job of displaying the hate. Honestly, Hermione, If I thought you of all people would be up here snogging Malfoy! I think I'm going to be sick," Harry said, looking at his friend with a mix of disgust and complete victory in his eyes. "I knew you guys would eventually get together, but I never thought I'd have to witness it! Bloody hell."

Hermione and Draco released each other from their love lock. "Um Harry, I…"

"Yeah, yeah. 'I hate him!' I get it. Are you going to help me with Potions or what?"

Hermione straightened her shirt. "Sure."

They sat down together, and Draco started reading his newspaper again, more than occasionally glancing over at Hermione.

"Malfoy, look, as soon as I'm done with my homework you can have her. …Ew, I can't believe I just said that," Harry said, looking bothered with himself.

"He will not be having me at all!" Hermione said, blushing.

"That's what you say now, Granger," Draco muttered, smirking.

"Gross, please! My ears! I'll bleed to death from them!" Harry said, clutching his head on either side.

"Alright Harry, Potions. Concentrate."

But after that, Hermione started noticing Draco's glances, and she began to glance back.

Harry stood up in the middle of his essay. "Alright, I'm leaving. Have at it, then."

At the sound of the portrait swinging closed, Draco flew to Hermione's side of the couch and sealed her lips with a kiss. "For the record," he said, "I still despise you."

"As it should be," Hermione agreed, wrapping her arms around him.


End file.
